Pianist, Composer, Bandleader, Vocalist
“. . . the sound is all Swiggett’s: refined and confident, open and inviting.”
– All About Jazz
Pianist and composer Nelda Swiggett has been a vibrant force in the Pacific Northwest jazz scene since the early 1990s. Her compositions blend jazz with Afro-Cuban, gospel and classical influences, creating a distinctive and engaging sound. Swiggett’s ensembles, including her trio, quintet, and sextet, have graced stages at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Bumbershoot, and the Earshot Jazz Festival. She is an award-winning composer and OA2 recording artist. Her five album releases have received rave reviews and extensive airplay around the globe. Nelda’s big band arrangements of her original music have been performed by Seattle’s nationally recognized Garfield High School Jazz Band, the Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra, and others. Nelda currently co-leads Clif & Nelda’s Little Big Band with her trombonist husband, Clif Swiggett; composes for the Megabopolis sextet; and performs “For the Birds” — live music, images and poetry invite reflection on our changing climate — with the Nelda Swiggett Quintet. She is also in demand as a solo pianist, side woman and jazz educator.
featured Shows
Sunday, April 5. For the Birds. 3 – 4:30 pm. Wesley United Methodist Church | 14 N 48th Ave, Yakima, WA 98908. Free admission. Donations appreciated.
Tuesday, April 7. For the Birds. 7 – 8:30 pm. Pocatello UU Fellowship | 426 W Lewis St, Pocatello, ID 83204. Free admission. Donations appreciated.
Thursday, April 9. For the Birds. 5 – 6:30 pm. ACES Hallam Lake | 100 Puppy Smith St., Aspen, Colorado. Free admission. Donations appreciated.
Saturday, April 11. For the Birds. 2 – 3:30 pm. Heartwood Cohousing | 800 Heartwood Ln, Bayfield, Colorado 81122. Free admission. Donations appreciated.
Sunday, April 12. For the Birds. 4 – 5:30 pm. Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Santa Fe | 107 W Barcelona Rd, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505. Free admission. Donations appreciated.
current projects
media
“Swiggett has a unique touch…intensely appealing pianism…a voice with a depth similar to that of Abbey Lincoln…”
– Lofton A Emenari, WHPK 88.5 FM, Chicago
“…a stunning project…held together by the highly original mind of Ms. Swiggett.”
– JazzTimes
“… a bright palette, a sinewy execution and a powerful, assertive command… the sound is all Swiggett’s: refined and confident, open and inviting.”
– All About Jazz
“Jessica Jennifer Williams comes to mind…we are in that territory.”
– Wondering Sound Reviews
“Swiggett’s vocal delivery is satisfyingly to-the-point, and behaves only as one ingredient, equal to all others…”
– Midwest Record
“Her music is precise without being dry, clean without being dull, and light without being fluff. The sound is as clear, direct and crisp as the gaze of her piercing blue eyes.”
– Earshot Magazine
“Seattle based pianist Nelda Swiggett has a bright smooth swinging quality to her mainstream approach and a minimalist almost bare knuckles attitude. Her key strokes are bold and assertive, as if she knows exactly the direction of her music.”
– All Music Guide
David Lange Studios
“The Alaska Suite”
“For the Birds”
teaching
Nelda teaches private jazz piano lessons in Seattle and on Zoom. She also coaches student jazz combos at Seattle’s Jazz Night School, and is available for clinics, workshops and adjudications.